Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL - Rank 003
"Astral!!" is the third chapter of the ''Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL'' manga. This chapter was first printed in the 4/2011 issue of V Jump, released on February 21, 2011. It was later reprinted in the volume 1 of Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL. Summary The entity that appeared before Yuma tells him they are going to win. Shocked, Yuma asks him who he is, and where he came from. As he takes his hand to his forehead, he says he is "Astral", if that memory is accurate. Yuma asks Astral what he is talking about, and says that he doesn't get it. Meanwhile, Shark notes the number 17 has appeared on his hand, and that he is sure he didn't have that card - "No. 17: Leviathan Dragon" - in his Deck before. However, he also notes that since he Summoned it, he has felt power coursing through him, and says to himself that as of now, he is invincible, as he ends his turn. takes Yuma's role, irritating him.]]Astral says he is certain he had and important memory regarding those "Numbers", and that his instincts tell him to win this Duel. Yuma asks Astral is he knows about Duels, and he - after taking his hand to his forehead once more - says that he does, and that he is a Duelist. He explains that he seems to have lost his memories, and that suspect that, in all likelihood, he crashed into something on his way to this world, and they scattered. Yuma asks him if he got amnesia, since memories don't "scatter", as Kotori and Tetsuo seem confused seeing him. Kotori asks Yuma what's wrong, and he asks Kotori and Tetsuo if they can't see "him", and says that that's a weird looking thing, floating like a ghost. Kotori rubs her eyes and looks again, but says that there is nobody there. Desperate, Yuma tells her not to say that, and to quit trying to scare him. Astral tells Yuma to calm down, and asks what "effects" ghosts have, and when it activates, while Yuma, totally shocked, thinks to himself that Astral is the spirit of a Duelist, and that he is the only one who can see him. Yuma then asks what's going on here, since Shark has gone weird too - when that "Numbers" card came up, he changed completely. Astral then extends his hand, surprising Yuma. Astral then declares its his turn, while Yuma says it's not - it's his turn, as he draws. notes a distortion in the map.]]Astral declares he Summons "Gogogo Golem" in Defense Position, with Yuma yelling at him to quit already, as he Summons "Gogogo Golem" in Attack Position. Astral explains Yuma won't win with a lower ATK monster, and Yuma says he knows that, as he activates "Blustering Winds", increasing the ATK of "Gogogo Golem" to 2800. Kotori tells Yuma to go get him, and Tetsuo says Yuma's monster's ATK is higher than Shark's now. Yuma attacks "Leviathan Dragon" with "Gogogo Giant". It is thrown away with the latter's Gogogo Blow. Meanwhile, Akari, who was using the computer, notes a distortion in the map near the station, and wonders if a kind of shock wave caused that, as the computers stop working. Back to the Duel, Astral watches with a serious face as Shark's Life Points are reduced to 3700. Yuma celebrates having destroyed "Leviathan Dragon" and inflicting damage to Shark, but stops when he notes "Leviathan Dragon" is still on the field. Worried, Kotori says that Shark lost Life Points, so why is "Leviathan Dragon" still on the field, and says that when both monsters are in Attack Position, the weaker one should be destroyed. Shark grins, and says that "Numbers" can only be defeated by other "Numbers", and a dark aura covers him. Yuma says that that's not fair, while Astral says that if Shark has a monster with more than 800 ATK in his hand, they already lost that Duel. Yuma is surprised, and says that he still got 1000 Life Points left. Astral is shocked for a moment, and then says that it seems that Yuma's Duel "stratagems" are far inferior to his, and that he'll remember that, while Yuma is confused on what "stratagems" means. Shark declares that he is going to win this Duel now, as he draws. However, he is disappointed at the card he draws, and Summons "Drill Barnacle". Astral says that they are saved, seeing it has 300 ATK, and Yuma asks what he is talking about. Shark activates the effect of "Leviathan Dragon", detaching its last Xyz Material to raise its ATK to 3000. It attacks and destroys "Gogogo Golem" with its "Vice Stream", reducing Yuma's Life Points to 800. As Yuma notes his Life Points are down to 800, he realizes Astral knew that was going to happen. Shark then attacks directly with "Drill Barnacle", reducing Yuma's Life Points to 500. Astral explains that "Gogogo Golem" has an effect which prevents its destruction by battle once while it is in Defense Position - had Yuma followed his instructions, they wouldn't be in that mess. Awkward, Yuma tells him to shut up. Astral then notes his body is fading away. Surprised, he takes one more look on "Leviathan Dragon" and remembers about the "Numbers". He explains the "Numbers" are pieces of his memory, that even among Xyz Monsters "Numbers" are special, once cards of this world can't defeat them, and that in a Duel of "Numbers", the winner absorbs the "Number" of the loser. Finally, he says that unless he wins that Duel, he will vanish - and that he must win. Yuma is confused on what Astral said, but tells him that he plans on winning no matter what happens to Astral, once both his and Tetsuo's Decks are riding on this Duel. However, he has nothing on his hand which can help right now, and plans on just using a defensive monster to block his attack until next turn - once even if he takes a direct attack from "Drill Barnacle", he will still have 200 Life Points left. However, Shark calls Yuma a fool, and says he has no next turn, as "Drill Barnacle" grows and its ATK raises to 1300. Shark explains "Drill Barnacle" always had the ability of attacking directly, and that each time it inflicts Battle Damage, his ATK increases by 1000. Shark declares he is going to finish Yuma off with the next attack, and that he is clean out of chances. Yuma then remembers he has a Trap Card face-down, and checks what card it was, again. He and Astral looks to the card - "Bye Bye Damage". Astral says that had Yuma activated it, he would have damaged Shark, and he would still have "Gogogo Golem", while Yuma yells that he forgot it because Astral was standing there nagging him. " grows.]] Tetsuo then says he knew this wouldn't work, and that it's his fault for betting his Deck. However, Kotori tells him not to start losing hope - Yuma's Deck was his father's, it's all he's got left of him, and he just can't lose something that important. Grinning, Shark tells Yuma to just give up already, and that he can see by himself that he has no shot at victory. He also says that he will take his and "Fatsuo's" Decks and tear them up while they watch. Yuma tells Shark that he is not giving up - and that if people give up, they die inside. Shark says to himself that Yuma's not giving up really ticks him off. Yuma tells to himself that he will draw the first piece of his counterattack this time, and that he is sure he will get a chance - he believes in his father's Deck. Both Astral and Yuma then declare "My turn!!", as Yuma draws. Yuma and Astral look at the drawn card - it is "Monster Reborn". Astral says to himself that fate has not deserted him yet, while Yuma holds the card with a confident look in his eyes. Featured Duel: Yuma Tsukumo vs. Ryoga "Shark" Kamishiro Duel continues from the previous Rank. Turn 5: Yuma Yuma Normal Summons "Gogogo Golem" (1800/1500) in Attack Position, and activates "Blustering Winds", increasing its ATK by 1000 (1800 → 2800). "Gogogo Golem" attacks "No. 17: Leviathan Dragon" (Shark 4000 → 3700), but it is not destroyed as a "Number" monster can only be destroyed by battle by another "Number" monster. Turn 6: Shark Shark Normal Summons "Drill Barnacle" (300/0) in Attack Position. He activates the effect of "Leviathan Dragon", detaching the overlaid "Big Jaws" to increase its ATK by 500 (2500 → 3000). "Leviathan Dragon" attacks and destroys "Gogogo Golem" (Yuma 1000 → 800), while "Drill Barnacle" attacks directly (Yuma 800 → 500). The effect of "Drill Barnacle" increases its own ATK by 1000 (300 → 1300). Turn 7: Yuma Yuma draws "Monster Reborn". Duel continues in the next Rank. Featured cards The following cards appeared in this chapter. Cards in italics debuted here.